Star Wars (1977)

The Force Will Be With Us, Always

***This Review Contains Spoilers***

Reviewing the Might that is Star Wars part of me wonders if there is even any point. You know that cliché review term “what can I say about this movie that hasn’t been said before?” Should I pretend its 1977 and I’m just back from the movie theatre – if only I could have experienced it firsthand. With the hype underway for the upcoming The Force Awakens (don’t let us down J.J!) I’ve been rekindling my love for Star Wars (the good trilogy, not the crummy one) so allow me to be the zillionth person to give their own perspective on Star Wars.

Before I had ever even seen Star Wars I felt like I had watched it before. You could probably recreate the film from parodies. It’s hard not to get caught up in a five-hour conversation about these movies, talking in depth about every single frame; these movies turn adults into big kids.

I can’t help by getting tearful over the beauty of the original trilogy; whether it’s the introduction of Luke Skywalker to the achingly beautiful John William’s score, or Luke and Leia’s scene in which they try to get away from oncoming Star Troopers by swinging on a rope over a drop – but not before she kisses him – such a classic image taken from any swashbuckler. The sights and sounds of lasers blasting or dogfights in space has a charm which I could never tire from. What makes the Star Wars universe feel so human? There is advanced technology but it feels used and it doesn’t always function properly. Also, I’ll say it now and I’ll say it again: CGI isn’t anything on practical effects. Part of me doesn’t want to know how they did these effects just to be kept alive the thought of “how did they do that?!” I can still enjoy the special editions despite the changes. It would take a lot more CGI to entirely ruin a film like this.

What imagination or imaginations can come up with something so wonderful, which raises the question of just how much of genius within Star Wars can be actually credited to George Lucas? Is the guy an untalented hack who got lucky by being surrounded by talented people? It’s disheartening to think the man may never have been the genius we all thought he once was making the man as much of an enigma as the fictional universe he came up with.

Is Mark Hamill’s performance in the original Star Wars the greatest? No, but I feel it works in the trilogy’s favour as his performances in Empire and Jedi are much improved just like how the character of Luke matured. But If I’m going to really talk about one Star Wars characters it’s Han Solo. Simply put Han Solo is my favourite movie character of all time. He’s badass, cocky, funny, has a legendary vest, is the most handsome man ever (no, really) and every word of dialogue he utters I would frame and hang on my wall. Yes, he is God himself. Also what gives C-3P0 AND R2-D2 such a great dynamic? They’re both robots and one is essentially a talking fax machine, either way, best robot chemistry ever.

The other thing I love about Star Wars which like many things was sorely missed in the prequels is the entourage of British actors. I don’t want to endorse typecasting but it just isn’t Star Wars without an imperial star destroyer on which every commander on board has an English accent.

The confrontation between Obi-wan and Vader still remains my lightsaber duel in the series. Two old men, minimal movement, no music, choreography as basic as it gets, yet it is infinitely more emotional and substantial than Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen doing somersaults inside a volcano for five hours.

Star Wars changed cinema, pop culture and the world as we know it for a reason. Something which has brought joy and happiness to myself and millions around the world (as well as much anger and despair). Many film snobs will dismiss Star Wars as the film which ruined cinema helping being about the end of the New Hollywood era which it total tosh. I could go on and on and on with this review, adding more to it like Lucas likes to add changes to his already existing films but I feel the best way to review what Is one of the most talked about films of all time I too try and convey the sense of emotion and euphoria I get from watching such a film.